Mary Nance Hanson

Parties

• Mary Nance Hanson was accused of fatally shooting her former daughter-in-law.
• Tetyana Nikitina was shot and killed.
• Rod Hernandez was Nikitina’s fiancée.
• Dale Jankowski was Hanson’s son and Nikitina’s ex-husband.
• Nikitina had two children with Dale Jankowski.
• Hernandez had custody-related involvement following Nikitina’s death, and his relationship with Nikitina had been moving toward marriage.

Timeline

• February 3, 2010 — Mary Nance Hanson, 70, appeared as an accused mother-in-law in coverage describing a custody dispute and alleging Hanson was “verbally abusive” and had a history of psychiatric issues, as claimed in Nikitina’s divorce proceedings.
• January 31, 2010 — Mary Nance Hanson, 70, appeared in court for the first time, assigned a public defender, and a scheduling hearing was set.
• January 30, 2010 — Tetyana Nikitina, 34, was shot and killed; Unified Police arrested Mary Nance Hanson, 70, on investigation of murder.
• January 29, 2010 — Mary Nance Hanson shot Tetyana Nikitina outside a Head Start facility.
• August 19, 2010 — Mary Nance Hanson pleaded guilty and requested death by lethal injection.
• October 22, 2010 — A judge sentenced Mary Nance Hanson to 15 years to life in prison.

Background

Mary Nance Hanson was 71 years old in coverage describing her guilty plea, and 70 years old in other coverage describing her court appearance and arrest. Hanson was the former mother-in-law of Tetyana Nikitina.

Nikitina had divorced Hanson’s son, Dale Jankowski, and the couple had custody disputes over their two children. Coverage described a divorce filed in February 2005, and protective orders filed twice after the divorce, in August 2005 and January 2006, with allegations described as cohabitant abuse. Nikitina and Jankowski had married in 1999 and had two children: Stefan, born in 2000, and Sasha, born in 2005. The relationship between Nikitina and Hanson was described in court-related materials as difficult, including allegations that Hanson was “verbally abusive” and had a history of psychiatric treatment.

Nikitina was described as an assistant preschool teacher at Head Start. Hernandez described that Nikitina was planning to marry him on Valentine’s Day.

The offence

Mary Nance Hanson shot Tetyana Nikitina outside a Millcreek Head Start building in January. Nikitina was attempting to drive away from the preschool where she worked.

Unified Police officers said Hanson fired multiple rounds at Nikitina, then reloaded and fired additional rounds. Coverage described Hanson as being armed with a .38-caliber revolver, and it said Hanson unloaded the gun into Nikitina’s car, then reloaded and continued firing through the car at close range.

Coverage also described that after the shooting Nikitina’s car rolled forward into another vehicle, and officers found her still behind the steering wheel.

In describing the relationship between the shooting and the custody dispute, police said they were unable to identify a specific trigger for the incident and that the divorce and custody battles had been ongoing for some time.

Investigation and arrest

Unified Police executed a search warrant on Dale Jankowski’s Taylorsville home. Police said it appeared there was no evidence that Jankowski was connected to the slaying, and investigators were also interested in the relationship between Nikitina and Hanson.

Unified Police arrested Mary Nance Hanson on investigation of murder. Coverage described that Hanson called 911 after the shooting and waited for officers to arrive. When asked why she had fired the shots, Hanson told a 911 operator: “I don't know, and that's all I'm going to say.”

Investigators found Hanson’s car parked about a mile from the crime scene. Coverage described that Hanson was a concealed weapons permit holder and that her most recent address was in Taylorsville.

Trial

Guilty plea and court statements

Mary Nance Hanson pleaded guilty in 3rd District Court. After the judge advised her her case was not eligible for the death penalty, she asked for death by lethal injection and made additional comments in court.

The following quotations were made in connection with her plea and death penalty request:

“I would like to be sent forthwith to the prison, and I would like to request death by lethal injection”
Mary Nance Hanson told 3rd District Judge William Barrett.

When the judge advised Hanson that hers was not a death penalty case, Hanson responded:

“Well, then I guess I didn't do a good enough job.”

Hanson also wrote to the judge in April asking to change her plea to guilty. The letter included:

“my physical health is deteriorating rapidly, and I do not believe it would be in the best interests of taxpayers or of myself to pursue a trial.”

In court, Hanson requested death by lethal injection again:

Coverage stated that her attorney, Tawni Hanseen, said Hanson was “sad” and “depressed,” and Hanseen said the woman’s competency was not an issue.

Charges described

Hanson was charged with first-degree felony murder for the Jan. 29 shooting. Coverage described that the charges were pending before the guilty plea and that she faced a maximum sentence of 15 years to life in prison.

Sentencing

On October 22, 2010, a judge sentenced Mary Nance Hanson to 15 years to life in prison.

Coverage also described that at sentencing Hanson had asked for the death penalty but the judge told her the case did not qualify for that, and she previously asked for death by lethal injection during her guilty plea hearing.

Appeals

No appeal information appeared.

Outcome

Mary Nance Hanson pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison on October 22, 2010.

Aftermath

After sentencing, Nikitina’s fiancée Rod Hernandez spoke to media.

The following quotation was attributed to Rod Hernandez after the sentence:

“I’m glad she's been sentenced. But it doesn't bring her back. She had asked for the death penalty. I don't want her dead. I really don't. I want her to be on this earth and suffer with the rest of us.”

Coverage described Hernandez organizing a fundraiser in memory of Nikitina and raising money for her children, and it described an event set for Oct. 16 at the West Valley Cultural Celebration Center.

Coverage also included Hernandez discussing threatening voice mail messages he said Hanson left for Nikitina. Hernandez said:

“Tetyana let me listen to one of the voice mails in which (Hanson) would say, 'Those kids shouldn't be with you. Their dad was supposed to have the kids,”

Coverage also included statements from Hernandez about not wanting Hanson dead and about concerns related to her request.

Hanson had been booked into the Salt Lake County jail on investigation of murder and remained there in the period leading up to her guilty plea.